This invention relates generally to dishwashers, and, more particularly, to dishwasher system fine filter systems.
Known dishwasher systems include a main pump assembly and a drain pump assembly for circulating and draining wash fluid within a wash chamber located in a cabinet housing. The main pump assembly feeds washing fluid to various spray arm assemblies for generating washing sprays or jets on dishwasher items loaded into one or more dishwasher racks disposed in the wash chamber. Fluid sprayed onto the dishwasher items is collected in a sump located in a lower portion of the wash chamber, and water entering the sump is filtered through one or more coarse filters to remove soil and sediment from the washing fluid. At least some dishwasher systems further include a fine filter system in flow communication with the main pump assembly to remove soil and sediment of a smaller size than those filtered by the coarse filters. The main pump assembly draws wash fluid from the sump to recirculate in the wash chamber, and the coarse and fine filters are used to continuously filter the water in the sump during the re-circulation process.
At least one known fine filter assembly includes a fine filter having a filter screen disposed over a top of a circular filter body. The filter body includes a radially extending water feed located substantially 180 radial degrees from a filter drain. From the water feed the filter body sloped downward to the drain, and then slopes upwardly from the drain toward the other side of the water feed. In other words, the filter body essentially includes two substantially equal portions divided by the water feed, each of which slope downward toward the drain from approximately an equal elevation. However, this is less than desirable for cleaning the filter body and sweeping soil into the fine filter drain. Specifically, when the main pump assembly is running and the fine filter is drained to flush the filter body and the filter screen, only the portion of the filter body that includes the water feed is flushed. Consequently, it can be difficult to remove soil from the portion of the filter body that is opposite the water feed.
In an exemplary embodiment, a fine filter assembly for a dishwasher includes a filter body having an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is located substantially adjacent the outlet, and an extended flow path joins the inlet and the outlet so that essentially an entire length of the filter body is used for filtration. The flow path is sloped from the inlet to the outlet and extends substantially 360 radial degrees around a circular outer perimeter of the filter body. Therefore, wash fluid naturally flows from the fine filter inlet to the fine filter outlet all the way around the filter body, and substantially the entire filter body is flushed when the fine filter is drained and a main pump assembly is energized. A more efficient fine filter assembly is therefore provided.